10 Favorite Trivia Nights in Metro Phoenix

Beer lovers pack the house for Trivia Tuesdays at World of Beer in Tempe.

We all have that friend. You know the one: a few pints in suddenly every sentence starts with the all-condescending, "actually..." followed by some obscure nugget of knowledge most of us either never knew or would never remember. The kind of friend who makes the perfect asset to any trivia team.

Game nights are no longer reserved for the Buffalo Wild Wings or Native New Yorkers of the world. Here are 10 spots to show off your smarts across the Valley. From sports bars to gay bars and everything in between, there's a chance to flex that mental muscle every day of the week.

Crescent Ballroom
Every Sunday at 6 p.m., the lounge transforms into a rare sight. Tables hold real glassware and wine bottles; Phoenicians in their late-30s are plentiful, and sitting in groups of four or five. And it's quiet-ish, save for the occasional laughter or playful argument.

Play consists of 10 rounds with up to six questions each. Answers are often written on bar tabs or napkins, and turned in under team names like "Vampire Sunday" and "Bitches Get Up."

Bartender Bruce Heimbuck collaborates with friend Ryan Compton on the questions, which tend to fall into three categories: music, pop culture, and beer. The questions are multi-media heavy, featuring clips from Mad Men and The Office or scores from old films, and each round is bookended by music selections from Heimbuck's own collection. Winners receive everything from beer koozies to gift cards, with first place earning a coveted spot on the guest list for an upcoming show.

Janessa Hilliard

A bird's-eye view of WOB's Tuesday trivia.

World of Beer
Tempe's resident beer hall, World of Beer, hosts a night that is nothing if not catered to its typical demographic: frat bros and beer geeks. Since the weekly game began last November, Tuesdays have become nearly standing-room only. Teams with names like "Win or Lose, We Booze," "The Pope is Dope," and then-topical "I Sexted Weiner," pack the house at 7 p.m. for two testosterone-heavy hours of progressively more challenging questions.

True to Mill Avenue, the night has had its fair share of drunken idiocy -- from heckling to having one too many -- most of which emcee Randy Coffer, a chemistry teacher at Chaparral High School, has no problem calling out over the mic.

First, second, and third place receive World of Beer gift cards valued from $30 to $10. Qualifying league teams have the chance to compete in Team Trivia's final tournaments, which happen twice a year, in September and February, for $1,000 cash.